Birthday Soup
by symphonyflute
Summary: Rory's doing her best to get Jess to visit Luke for his birthday. Jess isn't really feeling it (or well). Takes place in season 2 after he's been sent back to New York
1. Prologue

"No."

"Jess, come on."

"I said no. And how did you even get this number?"

"I," there was a pause, "stole it from Luke's address book, alright?"

That broke a smile out of Jess, though it was followed by a light wince as his chapped lips pulled. "Look at you, breaking and entering."

"There was hardly any breaking and entering involved. Just some…..quiet walking and copying down a number."

"I still like this new naughty Rory."

Rory's voice perked up. "Enough to agree to come?"

"Oh, no. Definitely not."

"Jess!"

"Look, Rory, I'm sorry. But I'm not going back to Stars Hollow just to celebrate a stupid birthday."

"It's not a _stupid_ birthday. It's Luke's. And I know he'd love to have you there."

Jess smirked, though Rory could of course not see him. "I highly doubt that."

"No, he really does."

Jess sighed. "Fine, how do you know?"

"When mom asked him who he wanted invited, he said he didn't care, of course. But when she pressed him, he finally admitted it would be nice to see you again. So there!"

So there. But he still couldn't come. And he didn't want to tell her why.

"Still no."

"oh my God, Jess!"

"To be fair, I did say I was sorry."

Rory's voice was demanding this time when she asked, or insisted rather, "give me the real reason you can't come."

Jess sighed. "I'll be sick."

"That's bologna, Jess. You can't predict something like that a week away. The party isn't until Saturday."

"So?"

"So, it's Tuesday."

Jess was getting annoyed now, and he could hear in Rory's voice that she was too. "So?"

"So?So we will see you Saturday at 3 at the diner. Bring a gift."

Dialtone.


	2. Chapter 1

The chair Lorelai was standing on, propped against a booth, wobbled slightly as she stretched her arms up with the tape and end of the banner. "Oh crap," she muttered, holding onto the wall for support.

"Mom!" Rory appeared from the staircase in time to see the chair give another attempt at ridding itself of its rider. "Get off of there."

She ran over and put one hand on the chair to steady it, and let Lorelai grasp the other or support as she hopped down. "What were you thinking?"

Lorelai threw her hands open. "Tada!"

She had managed to hang several colorful crepe ribbons and a happy birthday banner before almost losing her balance.

"It looks great," Rory admitted. "Though not very Luke. Are you sure he's going to like it?"

Lorelai waved the thought away. "Of course he will. Who doesn't like bright colors and decorations?"

"Luke."

"Yeah, well. Everyone else will like them. This is what you do for a birthday. Decorations, friends, cake."

"Is Sookie almost done with that?"

She's putting the finishing touches on now." Lorelai gestured to the kitchen where her best friend was baking Luke's birthday cake.

"And everyone knows to be here at three? Jackson will have Luke back?"

Lorelai put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Yes. Everyone knows to be here. Luke will show up and at the very least not hate it. The cake will be great. This isn't the first party I've thrown together."

Rory nodded. "I know."

She and Lorelai started bringing plates of food out of the kitchen and lining the counter with them. Lorelai had been right; the cake was in its final stages of being frosted and it looked amazing.

Within fifteen minutes, people started showing up. Within half an hour, Luke was back and, with a bear in his hand, didn't look too miserable. Within 45 minutes, the diner was packed.

Rory checked her watch and looked out the window. It was already 3:30. Where the hell was Jess? She had told him to be there at three. And sure, he hadn't exactly said yes, but she had still expected him to come.

Annoyed, she stated building a plate of snacks for her and Dean to share. No, she was crabby and entitled to her own plate of snacks. She grabbed a second plate and shoveled even more onto that one.

"Eating for two now?" someone asked in her ear. She nearly dropped her plates in surprise as she turned around to the familiar voice.

"You came!" She put her food down and made to hug him, but he stepped back and shook his head.

"I wouldn't," he warned.

"Dean knows we're just friends. I don't think one hug will bother him."

Jess smirked. "I couldn't care less about sasquatch's feelings. I just don't want you getting sick."

Rory frowned. "You weren't serious about that."

In response, Jess just gestured to his face. Rory frowned as she studied him. His face was pale, his nose was red, and there were dark circles under his eyes. "Oh wow, you look awful."

Jess simply smiled joylessly at her.

"Come here," Rory gestured to the stairwell behind the counter. She dropped her food off at the table she was sharing with her mom and Dean, and led Jess to the stairs where they could talk without competing with all the conversation and the 80's pop playing on someone's radio.

"How could you possibly know you'd be sick today almost a week ago? Even if you were already not feeling well, you would have thought you'd be better by now. What's going on?"

Jess shrugged and sat down on one of the steps. Rory joined him. "Because I'm not an idiot."

"What?"

Jess sniffed and subbed his nose in an annoyed way. Rory had a feeling he wasn't one to take being sick well. "Because I-" His nostrils flared and his eyes were starting to crinkle. "Hold on."

Rory thought about being polite and turning her back to him, but she had never seen Jess show any sign of weakness before and curiosity won over politeness.

He turned away from her with his face tucked into the elbow of his leather jacket and sneezed . _Httshch!"_

"Bless you. Now finish. Because you what?"

Jess looked Rory right in the eye, and she noticed that his normally bright stare was dull. "Because I'm not an idiot."

Rory shook her head. "I don't follow."

Jess ran a hand through his hair, stalling. "I've been sick for a few weeks. I would be an idiot to think it would magically go away because I haven't been getting that much sleep, having soup, all that crap."

Rory narrowed her eyes at him "That actually does sound pretty idiotic to me."

"Things are different in New York. Life moves faster. You don't have time to lounge around in bed or anything. I've had to work, go to school, and I'm back with my old friends. Am I just supposed to not see them?"

"When you're sick? Yes. Take a sick day, stay home, have your mom make you some soup."

Jess snorted, and it turned into a brief coughing fit. Alarmed, Rory patted him on the back until it stopped. "Sorry, you just don't know Liz. She's not exactly the making soup kind of mom."

"Neither is mine, but she always took care of me when I was sick. Does your mom even know?"

Jess shrugged. "I don't know actually. But it's not a big deal. It really is just a tiny cold. I just didn't want to come because I didn't want Luke to think I can't take care of myself."

"Well you can't take care of yourself, so I get why you'd be afraid of that. But Luke makes the best soup. Ask him for some."

"No, Rory. I'm not asking Luke for anything. And you aren't telling him about this. It's just between us."

"What? No. I didn't agree to that!"

"And I didn't agree to come, but look where we are now."

Rory frowned at him. But the frown morphed into a smile as his breath started to hitch again. " _Hetsch!"_

When he lowered his arm, he looked suspiciously at Rory's smile. "What?"

"Bless you, sneezy."

"What?" He asked again.

"I don't have to tell Luke anything. He'll figure it out all on his own." She patted him on the shoulder as she got up.

"I should have just hugged you," Jess grumbled to her retreating back.


End file.
